Six Days
by ArtistsChild93
Summary: After Bespin, our intrepid heroes are six days from a medicenter and Luke is seriously injured and in need of medical care. T because there is violence mainly because it's not exactly a story you want anyone younger than thirteen reading it. I love hearing your input especially cuz I'm currently stuck any suggestions are welcome!
1. More than Just a Hand

**Hello, I came up with this one day in Study hall when I was bored. To tell the truth, I always wondered what was going through Luke, Leia and Lando's heads after Bespin. This is mainly Luke's thoughts with some Leia thrown in. I hope you enjoy it!**

A red flicker caught the corner of his eye. Someone was screaming; he felt a searing pain in his right arm. He looked over at the source of the pain and his stomach dropped out from under him. His hand was gone, just completely gone.

Skywalker collapsed to the bridge, clutching the burning stump where his hand used to be. He scooted away from his advancing enemy, glaring at him in hate and agony.

"There is no escape," Vader said, "don't make me destroy you. Luke, you do not realize your importance, you have only began to realize your power."

Luke continued to back away, grabbing a support with his left hand.

"Join me and I will complete your training," said the metal-lunged monster, "with our combined strength we can end this destructive conflict."

"I'll never join you," he snarled defiantly.

"If you only knew the power of the dark side," Vader said, "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."

"He told me enough," the boy said his voice made harsh with the pain; "he told me you killed him."

"No," he said finally, "I am your father."

With those four words, Luke's brave spirit was shattered. Horror crept onto his face, his eyes, and into his heart. He shook his head.

"No, no," he said. Luke could not, would not believe it, it had to be a lie, "that's not true! That's impossible!" The pain he felt inside was far worse than where his arm had formerly been. Just those four words had turned the idealistic farm boy from Tatooine into a shell. He was broken, lost.

"Search your feelings; you know this to be true."

From his agonized throat a scream was ripped, "NOOOOO NOOOOO!" Luke could endure no more.

"Luke you can destroy the Emperor he has foreseen it, this is your destiny," Vader taunted, "together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."

Luke had heard enough. He gave what was left of Anakin Skywalker a defiant glance and let go.

The world was rushing past him. He was falling,falling; yet he didn't feel afraid.

_I am going to die_, he thought. Luke Skywalker didn't care anymore. He was the son of a monster, a murderer. He found himself sliding in a metal shaft. Was he still alive? He tumbled to a stop. He pushed himself upright. His mind was in torment. Why wasn't he allowed to die?

The floor suddenly dropped out from under him. He was once again sliding. He landed painfully, catching the back of his legs on a wire. He cried out in pain. Luke baredly managed to hold on.

Maybe he wasn't meant to die yet. Perhaps in the back of his mind he was glad to be alive still. But for how long? He decided to try, someone might see him. The young Jedi struggled to get to the hatch he had fallen through. For a brief second he caught onto it, but it closed within seconds. He held on to the pole panting heavily.

"Ben," he said, "Ben please." His hope was almost gone. The innocence had been stolen away from the idealistic farm boy.

Skywalker tried again to climb up, but his fingers slipped, and he came crashing down hard into the wires again. Half delirious, he hung upside down, without the strength to fight anymore.

"Ben," he said again, face contorted in pain, "Leia," he said desperately, remembering the princess suddenly in his hour of need. He vaguely wondered why he suddenly thought of her.

"Hear me," he called hoping, begging the fates she would hear. "Leia," he called again, and tried uselessly to haul himself upright.

Then he saw it! The Falcon headed towards him, she had heard his pleas! Luke slipped again, he knew he could not hold on much longer. He saw the top hatch open and a strange man emerged. He let go and fell with a thud to the roof of the ship. Someone was dragging him to the door.

"I-I can walk," he gasped.

"Are you sure?" the man asked when he had gotten him inside.

Luke managed shakily to support his own weight. He felt sick and dizzy.

"You got him," Leia's voice said over the com.

"Yeah I got him," the man answered, "you sure you can walk okay?" he asked Luke, who was only able to nod his head in reply. The adrenaline was wearing off an his arm was beginning to throb painfully. He bit his lip to prevent from crying out.

"Let me help you," the man said, supporting some of the young man's weight. Luke wanted to cry, but he was ashamed to.

He was being led along an all too farmiliar hallway. Where was Han? He thought groggily. Then he was being hugged by the princess. She guided him gently to his old room. Luke sat down on the bed, then he broke down. Leia held him while he wept openly, sobs shaking his hurting frame.

"It's okay, Luke," Leia said, tears escaping out of her own eyes. She had never seen him in such a bad emotional state. She had seen him cry before, but never like this. Luke was the type of person who cried easily. "we'll try to get you better."

Leia realized he was shivering all over. Her friend was going into shock. Gently she helped him lie down and covered him with a blanket.

"It's okay," she said stroking his brow, soothing him, "I'm here."

"I was so scared," Luke admitted ashamedly. He was a jedi he wasn't supposed to get scared.

Leia took his good hand, "there's nothing wrong with being afraid, Luke, we all get scared. I was scared too." Her charge was beginning to concern her, he was beginning to feel too warm. A fever was showing itself now that Luke was calm.

A blast shook the Falcon, Leia glanced around, then brushing his lips, Leia left him alone again.

He wished she would stay, he felt so cold, sick, alone. Another blast shook the ship.

"Luke," he felt his father calling him. He answered in a feeble voice. "Come with me," Vader called to is son.

"Ben, why didn't you tell me?" he sighed. Then he got up and walked, half in a dream to the cockpit.

When the stranger saw him, he got up and allowed Luke to take his seat.

"It's Vader," he whisperd.

"Luke it is your destiny," Vader said inside his shattered mind.

"Ben, Why didn't you tell me," he repeated, barely audible to the others. He felt a jerk that meant the hyper drive had engaged and he passed out.


	2. Pain Medicine

**Okay here's the next part of the story... I would have had it up two days ago but I let my friend borrow it and she couldn't get it to me until yesterday. Then I had a dentist's appointment and a band concert.**

A painful twinge in Luke's arm woke him hours later. He had ardently hoped that the whole thing was a dream. He wished unhappily that he had listened to Yoda and stayed to complete his training.

He had paid for it in more than just his arm. Why didn't they tell him? Why didn't Ben tell him? It could have saved him all the pain he had endured. Then again had he really been ready to know? Or, would he have been able to tell someone else such a horrible truth?

Leia felt her friend's wakefulness suddenly. She had only had two hours of sleep, but she knew the young Jedi needed her.

"Luke?" she called. He was sitting on his bed, appearing to be lost in thought. But when he looked up she saw his eyes and immediately went to go get him some pain medication.

"No, please don't go," he pleaded, "I don't want to be alone."

She sat beside him and took his hand, "You're never alone, Luke, and I would never leave you when you needed me." Leia felt his head come to rest on her shoulder. What had happened to him? Vader must have taken more than just his arm. Something had snapped his proud spirit. The life she had come to know had gone out of his eyes. He looked like a man long imprisoned and abused.

Also, she had never seen him break down like he had earlier. He had cried before, of course but he wasn't the type to start sobbing like that. He had only shed a few tears even after Obi-Wan had died. "What happened out there, Luke?"

"I can't tell you," he replied sadly, "not yet."

"I understand," she said. Whatever had happened to him, it was clearly too traumatic to re-live at the moment. "Luke, I'm going to get you something for your pain."

He nodded, badly in need of something to relive the throbbing in his arm. Leia left him alone again. He smiled grimly, she could read him like a book, and he was glad for it.

"How is he?" Leia heard Lando ask as she walked by.

"In pain," she said tersely, "how would you be if someone chopped your hand off?"

"Look I'm sorry," Lando said, "I didn't realize he was only a boy."

"You should have," she snapped, "he's only twenty two and you let that monster get ahold of him."

Both of them turned when they heard a soft voice behind them, "What's going on?"

"Oh Luke, you shouldn't be out of bed," Leia said. He was still deathly pale and his left eye was swollen shut.

"I'm fine," he said, "how long was I out?"

"About twelve hours," said the strange man from earlier, "I'm Lando by the way, Lando Calrissian."

"Luke," he said.

"I know," Calrissian said. There was something strange about this young man that he just couldn't put his finger on. For one thing, he had never seen anyone with such a high pain tolerance. He was sure if he had had his arm hacked of he'd still be in bed.

Also, he reflected, he had an air of command about him, which was unusual for one so young. He couldn't be any older than 21 or 22, but he had an unexplainable power about him. He was clearly a born leader. And yet he could see the great sorrow in this boy's eyes. How could he have let Vader do this to him? He was just barely entering into manhood.

"Leia," the boy said groggily, "I think the medicine is beginning to kick in."

Leia laughed, "Oh? You feeling sleepy?" he nodded. "Maybe you should go back to bed."

"No," he murmured, "just leave me here." Luke was asleep within moments.

Leia chuckled. Luke could sleep almost anywhere, like a baby; a big blonde baby who was beginning to snore. She ran her fingers through his hair and laughed, "You're hopeless." Luke's only reply was to turn his head and snuffle in his sleep.


	3. Formula for a Plan

Luke slept the remainder of the day away. When he woke up, he felt much better. True, his arm still hurt, but he found it much more bearable than it had been the day (or night) before. His stomach began to make a loud gurgling noise; it was then that he realized that he hadn't eaten since before he had left for Bespin. That had to have been around two days ago.

He was brought out of his thoughts before he could start reproaching himself by a familiar growl from the pilot's chair.

"Hey, Chewie," he said rather sleepily. The wookie's reply was to let out another growl and laid his massive paw on Luke's head. "Oh don't worry about me, I'll be all right." Luke meant this more to reassure himself than anyone else. Everything that had happened for the past two days seemed like a dream, no, a nightmare. It was one that unfortunately he couldn't wake up from. His musing was once again interrupted, this time in the form of an irritable complaint from his empty stomach.

"Man I'm starving!" he exclaimed stretching his sore muscles perhaps a little too soon, for he was rewarded with a particularly unpleasant twinge from what was left of his arm. He winced painfully.

"Morning, Luke," Leia's voice came from behind him, "feeling any better?" she was holding a bowl of something hot and steaming.

"Yeah I am actually," Luke said trying to smile. It was funny that something that only a few days ago had been something that he had done naturally was so hard to do. "How did you know I was hungry?"

"Well you didn't eat all day yesterday or the day before," the princess replied, and then chuckling she said, "and your stomach was growling all last night too."

He aquardly accepted the bowl of what appeared to be soup in his left hand, "thanks, Leia, but you didn't have to get something for me, I could have gotten it for myself,"

"One handed?" Leia smiled, "Luke, I know you're not used to this, but you're gonna have to endure having someone else help you for a little while. And I don't want you to get up from where you are unless absolutely nessisary."

"How long do I have?" he asked.

"Three days," she said, "but I am glad that you're hungry. But please, Luke, if you start to feel the slightest bit sick, stop eating."

"All right," Luke sighed. He supposed he had to get used to it, after all, he had gotten beaten up pretty badly in the fight with Vader. He found it quite difficult to eat left-handed and had to put all his concentration into not slopping food down his front. He found that his clothes must have been changed sometime during the night, or the previous day. He must have been too groggy to realize it up until now. Then suddenly, he remembered something else he hadn't remembered up until now. "Where's Han?"

With a sigh, Leia replied, "He was frozen in carbonite and taken by a bounty hunter to Jabba the Hutt."

Luke visibly whitened, "Oh no! It's all my fault!" he said, "We gotta rescue him!"

"Luke, it wasn't your fault," she immediately corrected, taking hold of his good hand, noticing that her friend choked back a cry of dismay. "It's okay; we'll rescue him just as soon as we come up with a plan."

He sighed, "I suppose you're right, we can't just rush in to save him, trust me," he added with a shame-faced laugh, "I learned that the hard way." He choked back a sob, then he pulled Leia into a one armed hug, "I don't know what to do!" he cried, tears streaming down his face.

Leia hated seeing Luke like this. She rubbed his back, which shook with his sobs and said soothingly, "Don't worry, Luke, we'll get him back," then she added, "Please don't cry, it's okay I'm here."

He clung to her tighter, not realizing his own strength. "You don't understand!"

"Luke, you're hurting me!" Leia cried out. His grip loosened but continued to cry. "Listen to me! If you tell me about it maybe I'll understand."

"I-I can't," he choked, "I'm sorry." He couldn't tell Leia about what had happened, she'd hate him. And right now, he just couldn't bear being alone. He needed her.

She ran her fingers through his sweaty blonde hair, trying to comfort her sobbing friend. He was like a brother to her, shure at one point they had been sort of attracted to eachother, but it never amounted to anything. He had changed physically as well as mentally in two months. Leia decided the best thing to do was to distract him from his pain, "So what are we gonna do to get Han back?"

"I don't know," he said, swallowing. Luke's voice was cracked from the stress of the past few days, and his throat was sore. He hated crying.

"I know he's on Tatooine," Leia said, trying to distract him further. She knew how much he hated crying, he had told her once when she had asked why he never cried. That was another thing that was bothering her, he was usually a very open person, if something was bothering him, and he would tell you. Now he was refusing to tell her anything that had happened. Whatever had happened must have been extremely traumatic, something that would take years to heal completely. Suddenly she realized he was looking at her.

"I need to make a new light saber," he said in a hoarse whisper, "I lost the other one."

"You two comin' up with a plan?" Lando's voice said from behnd them.

"Yes," Luke said, slightly annoyed with how strained his voice sounded, "You willing to join us?" he added, a plan was forming in his head. "And Chewie, would you be willing to help us?"

The wookie gave a slightly indignant reply, as if to say, 'are you crazy, of course I'm with you!'

"What do you need me to do, friend?" Lando asked. After all that he had done, he felt the need to set all his wrongs right.

"I don't know just yet, I'll have to come up with something, but I think I have an idea," Luke asked, " but I don't want to put anyone in danger."

"It'll be tricky," Lando replied, "Jabba's a real nasty piece of work, I wouldn't put anything past him." He didn't really like the idea of messing around anywhere near Jabba the hutt, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, and he would do it –for Han, for this kid, Luke. He saw now what he hadn't been able to put his finger on. Luke was obviously (despite being traumatized) extremely likeable. Also he was extremly clever, already thinking of a plan to rescue Han, and he obviously never left a comrade behind. He would be a great leader one day; he already seemed well on his way. This boy was destined to do great things.


End file.
